Sliding door hanger assembly



May 9, 1961 SLIDING DOOR HANGER ASSEMBLY Filed April 3, 1959 fil D. w. BLAcKMl-:R 2,982,988

IN V EN TOR.

BY ik@ SQP @I y 2,982,988 Patented May V9, 1961 sLlDlNG DooR HANGER ASSEMBLY Dwight W. Blackmer, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to Ekco ProductsY Company, Chicago,. Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 803,943

1 Claim. (Cl. 16-97) This invention relates to a sliding door hanger assembly and more particularly to hanger assemblies of this type wherein the connection between the door and the track engaging carrier of the hanger assembly may be established through interengagement of the cooperating parts by bodily movement ofthe door within its doorway and relative to said carrier.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved hanger assembly having features of construction and design which facilitate installation procedures and which also renders the assembly simple and economical as well as sturdy.

A further object resides in the use of improved means for preventing unintentional disconnection of the cooperating parts in spite of relatively severe operating conditions.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a sliding door installation, with a portion of the track broken away, to illustrate a hanger assembly according -to this invention, when in operative condition.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows. i

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 except showing the bracket in a position preparatory to disposition in operative relation to the carriage member.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken downwardly along line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the bracket to show details of its design and construction.

The drawings illustrate a hanger assembly as applied to an installation wherein a door 10 is supported from a track 11 secured to a door frame 10A opposite the upper edge of said door.

Each hanger assembly, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, includes a carrier body having a set of rollers 12 having engagement with said track 11 for guided movement along said track. As shown, the carrier body comprises a pair of cooperating straps 13 and 14 arranged in face to `face relation along opposite end areas thereof straddled by the rollers 12 while the area between said end areas is yformed along lines curved outwardly in opposite directions to deiine a hub portion 15 having its open ends facing in upward and downward directions. The carriage body is provided with an extension in the form of a stem 16 having United States Patent: "Office its upper end 17 journalled in the hub 15. 'I/he portion of the stem 16 projecting downwardly from the carriage vbody terminates in an enlarged circular head 1-8. The

and the door 10, as contemplated by this invention, isA

established by means of a door mounting bracket having a plate portion 20 and an integral arm 21 extending angularly from the upper edge of the plate portionv 20. The plate portion 20 is secured to the side of the door 10 along the edge thereof facing the carriage body by suitable means such as screws 22 fitted through openings in the plate portion. The arm 21 occupies a position in overlapping relation to the upper edge of the door. To provide clearance between the arm and the edge of the door opposite thereto, the arm is offset upwardly along a limited area 23. The area 23 is intersected by a slot 24 extending inwardly from the edge of the arm 21 fac- -ing away from the plate portion 20 of the bracket. The slot 2'4 is of such dimension as to admit the stern 116 therein. The inner limits of the slot 24 presents a circular edge which is bevelled downwardly and outwardly in a direction away from the carriage body to define a seat 2S complementary to the shape of and fitting closely with the edge surface 19 of the head 18. The seat 2S, and the opposite edges of the slot 24 leading -to said seat 25 meet to define shoulders 26 with which the edge 19 of the head 1S has engagement to resist withdrawal of the head from a position within the contines of said seat.

An annular abutment member or retainer 27 is slidably supported on the stern 16 for movement toward and away Ifrom a position against the head 1:8 at the lower end of the stem, and biased toward the head 18 under stress of a coil spring Z8 encircling the stern and acting against a shoulder 29 on the stem where the latter joins the hub 15 on the carriage body.

Accordingly, as the leading edge of the arm 21 is advanced into the area between the head 18 on the stem 16 and the surface of the abutment member 27 facing said head, the abutment member is cammed upwardly against the resistance of the spring 28 a distance necessary to admit the head 118 to the area within the confines of the seat 25 at the inner limits of the slot 24. The stress of the spring 28 thereupon applies pressure against the arm of the bracket along the surface thereof facing the abutment member 27 to prevent withdrawal of said bracket from vsaid head while the latter is within the con- Ifines of said seat 25. The abutment member presents an outer circular edge 30 which is curved upwardly and outwardly in relation -to the surface of the head 18 facing said abutment member 27. The bevelled edge of the head and the aforesaid edge of the abutment member thus in eiect provide cooperating guides to Ifacilitate entry of the bracket arm therebetween incident to movement of the latter toward a position in which the head and the bracket are operatively assembled as a door hanger unit.

To relieve lfriction and to provide noiseless action between the hub 15 and the end portion 17 of the stem 16 engaged by said hub, a sleeve 31 of relatively frictionfree synthetic resinous material is fitted around said end portion 17 of the stem 16.

What is claimed:

A sliding door hanger assembly including a track engaging carrier having a body membera door mounting bracket defined by a second member, one of said members having a stem secured thereto and forming an extension thereof in the direction of the other member, said latter member having a slot extending inwardly lfrom one edge thereof in which said stem has entry in a direction radially of said stern as an axis, an enlarged head at the projecting end of said stern, said head presenting a radially facing edge portion bevelled outwardly in a direction away from the member to which the stern is secured, said slot containing member having surfaces at the inner end of said slot which are bevelled to dene a seat with which the aforesaid edge portion of said head has intertting relation when the stern is positioned Within said slot, a retainer slideably carried by said stem for movement toward and away from said head and engaging said slot containing member at opposite sides of the slot along bearing surfaces of said latter member facing in a direction away from said head, spring means acting to bias said retainer toward said bearing surfaces to yieldably resist unin-tentional withdrawal of said head from said seat, and said retainer presenting an outer edge portion which slants outwardly in the direction of the member to which the stem is secured.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,065,794 Fitch June 24, 1913 1,765,215 Lamm June 3, 1930 1,832,203 Gussack Nov. 17, 1931 2,246,092 Gilman June 17, 1941 2,322,529 Long June 22, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,518 Great Britain June 1, 1905 14,790 Germany Apr. 19, 1956 

